Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2008-09: Had a breakout year for Rimouski, scoring 72 points in 62 games.

2009-10: In his first pro season, Piche appeared in 9 AHL games with Grand Rapids with no points and 4 PIMs. He skated in 36 ECHL games with the Toledo Walleye, scoring 5 goals, 23 assists for 28 points. He added 2 assists in 4 playoff games.

2010-11: Piche spent most of his season on the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, playing in 48 games and scoring 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points. He also saw time with the Griffins where he put up 2 assists through 11 games.

Talent Analysis

Is an offensive-oriented defenseman. Piche does very well on the powerplay, as he has good puck control and possesses an impressive, strong shot. He also plays a steady defensive game when needed.

Future

Projects as a depth defenseman. Will really need to step up and show he can play at the pro level. Piche was dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the deal that brought Kyle Quincey back to the Detroit Red Wings.

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During the Rob Blake talks, one of the expenses the Kings listed was buying their own farm team. The fact of the matter is that no young player is developing at Lowell. Lowell is great for fringe NHL players like Marko Tuomained and Brad Chartrand, but the players the Kings needed to develop this season (Joe Rullier, Kip Brennan, Alexey Volkov)have floundered and even failed. If you look at other teams, the AHL is providing them with NHL talent with younger players. The Kings need to be able to do this soon.

Is Yanick Lehoux the real deal? You can’t blame Kings fans for being a little gunshy. Names like Rosa, Papineau, Perrault and Shevalier show that good numbers at that stage of development do not necessarily translate into NHL success. However, most people who have seen Lehoux think he is the genuine item.

What do the Kings need if they trade Rob Blake? Besides some new season seat holders, they need some size on wing and some ace prospect in net. Volkov’s struggles have the Kings moderately concerned, and while their is talent in net in the system, that seems an area that can never be too strong. The Kings also need a stud. There is no potential goal scorer within three years of having an impact on the NHL level. With Belanger, Reinprecht and Visnovsky, the Kings have some young point scorers, but they are badly in need of a finisher, and no one besides the young Lehoux has shown they can do that.

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It was a big surprise, the Bruins ninth round selection at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. After
taking Zdenek Kutlak in the eighth round the Bruins grabbed Kolarik with their first pick
in the ninth round at the 268th place, a 27-year old defenseman of HC Slavia Praha of the
Czech Extraleague. Born 10-24-1972 Pavel was drafted 9 years after his draft year, 1991.

That was awesome. Only Czech Extraleague fans knew that this 6’0”, 185 lbs. blueliner, who
never played for the National team, exists. It looked like he’ll spend the rest of his
career as an average Extraleague player, with hope to play some games in the National Team,
maybe. Harry Sinden drastically changed this vision of the future. The Bruins, who missed
the playoffs in 1999-2000, were looking for some players who could provide immediate help.
They took forward Sergei Zinoviev and defensemen Jarno Kultanen, Zdenek Kutlak and finally
Pavel Kolarik to fight for a spot in the Bruins team. Not even Pavel believed in such a big
turnover in his career…

Born in Vyskov, Czech Republic, Pavel Kolarik broke into the Extraleague in the 1996-1997
season with HC Slavia Praha. He acquired the jersey with the number 16 after Petr Macek,
a defenseman who left Slavia before the 1996-97 season and started playing. He appeared in
half of the regular season schedule games, playing 27 of 52 games. Pavel notched 3 points
(1 goal + 2 assists) and was a +3 along with 10 PIMs in his inaugural season. He was
scoreless during 3 playoff games, in which was Slavia swept 0:3 by the future champion
of Vset Read more»

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The 2001 ECHL All-Star Game will take place this Tuesday, February 13th in Little Rock, Arkansas. It is the third straight year that the game will be showcased on a national television broadcast as ESPN2 is picking up the coverage. Once again, the Northern Conference all-stars are pitted against their counterparts from the south.

In terms of the starting line-up for the Northern Conference, the attack is led by Kevin Hilton. The Charlotte forward has tallied 66 points in 51 games thus far. Also up front are Scott Bertoli and Cail Maclean of Trenton. Both these Titans players have been consistent all season, notching 39 and 32 points, respectively. On defence are Calvin Elfring of Roanoke and Tom Nemeth of Dayton. Elfring has contributed 35 points and 48 penalty minutes in 50 games while Nemeth has been stellar on the offence, with 43 points in 48 games. And, in goal is Scott Stirling, who is having a sensational campaign for Trenton, with 20 wins, a 2.10 GAA and a 0.924 save percentage in 30 games.

The Southern Conference has a powerful offensive attack with Dany Bousquet of Pee Dee, Brent Cullaton of Tallahassee and Matt Demarski of Florida leading the charge. Bousquet has 32 goals in 43 games, Cullaton has dominated with 68 points in 44 games and Demarski is on a point-a-game clip with 47 in 46 games. On defence are Trevor Demmans of Pee Dee and Chris Valicevic of Louisiana. Both these defenders have been steady at both ends of the ice and have recorded 36 and 40 points, respectively. In net for the south is Kirk Daubenspeck of Sou Read more»

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German prospects – the update A rating for the games since January, 23th till February, 9th

VERY GOOD
Good, better, Marcel Goc. The first line, ukrainian Vadim Slivchenko, czech Patrik Augusta and Marcel Goc is the only line in Schwenningen who wins the games. In the game against Mannheim he skate past all five players from mannheim and shots a sensational goal! Also in this game whe was named the best player of the game for the fourth time in this season and for the third time in the month january. In fact of this he was named the player of the month, together with DEL-top-scorer Sergej Vostrikov, goalies Mike Rosati, Chris Rogles and Sinuhe Wallinheimo.
Season Stats: Schwenningen/DEL: 46 games, 10 goals, 23 assists, 33 points, +/- 0, 12 PIM

Two very good weeks for defenseman Patrick Köppchen and his career. The München Barons signed him to a Junior-licence (german „Förderlizenz“) and he makes his DEL-debut in the 3-1 win against Augsburg. Coach Sean Simpson said he gave the team spirit and impulse in his second game against Düsseldorf, where he assist one goal.
Season Stats: Erding/2nd: 33 games, 7 goals, 11 assists, 18 points, 54 PIM
München/DEL: 2 games, 1 assist, 1 point, +1 Read more»

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Another in a series of weekly articles summarizing activity in Leafland during the previous 7 days – with some personal observations, commentary, prospect updates and fun thrown in for good measure.

The Future: Though the situation on the ice seems somewhat muddled at times this season, the Maple Leafs have established some grand plans for the club’s business operations in the coming years … modeling itself after England’s storied Manchester United Football Club (a sports empire worth about $3 billion CDN) the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment conglomerate has more than tripled its assets during the past three years … the organization currently has plans to add 44 new employees to its staff (bringing the total close to 400) as it implements Phase II of the mid-term business plan … Phase I involved the merging of 2 operations (hockey and basketball) and the completion of the ACC on time and on budget … much effort was also spent in getting the hockey and basketball teams into perennial playoff contention and booking out the new playing facility during the past 2 years … at this time, the Air Canada Centre is the #2 concert venue in North America in terms of gross revenue, just behind the Staples Centre in Los Angeles … last year there were 230 separate events staged at the ACC … the prime sports tenants lead the way with the Maple Leafs being sold out for every game and the Raptors currently representing the NBA’s #3 draw for road and home games combined … satisfied that their initial goals had been met, the MLSE board of directo Read more»